Postgraduate Teacher Education Research Articles

‘Walking out from the flat’: Pre-service English language teachers’ experiences of and needs for English as a lingua franca during study-abroad

Globalisation and internationalisation have significantly shaped the global status of English as a lingua franca (ELF). Recently, it has been argued that ELF should be understood from a multilingual perspective in English-medium instruction (EMI) education. Although EMI policy and practice have been examined and discussed in scholarship, an examination of ELF in relation to EMI is essential for bridging the gap between the policy and practice level of EMI. This qualitative study unpacked the study-abroad ELF experiences and needs for support of Chinese pre-service English language teachers after their first month of postgraduate teacher education study at a Scottish university. After thematic analysis of the focus group data, the findings revealed participants’ negativity in their daily and academic ELF experiences, though limited positive ELF experiences existed. Participants called for extra-curricular activities, a more engaging and communicative pedagogy in EMI classroom, and international student diversification and engagements with peer support in international universities. They urged curriculum innovation in English and intercultural communication education. This study sheds light on the development of curriculum, language policy, and student support in international universities. The paper ends with further insights into ELF experiences in a broader context where ELF is intertwined with EMI.

Musical identity, pedagogy, and creative dispositions: Exploring the experiences of popular musicians during their postgraduate teacher education in a changing Welsh education landscape

Much has been written on the different learning paths of classical and popular musicians and the view that popular musicians can be marginalized within the musical hegemony. Adopting Lucas, Claxton, and Spencer’s creative dispositions model, this article explores the extent to which this might occur when popular musicians learn to become secondary classroom music teachers. Data were collected through a series of semi-structured interviews from three popular musicians on a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) Secondary Music program. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the findings suggest that popular musicians innately demonstrate imaginative, inquisitive, and collaborative creative musical capacities. However, learning to teach seems to significantly impact their pedagogic identity as they experience underlying performativity cultures and hierarchical relationships in schools. This article considers the risks associated with undervaluing the creative dispositions of popular musician teachers, including minimizing their potential to reconceptualize pedagogic expertise at a time of significant education reform in Wales.

‘I am struggling to survive’: financial inequity in postgraduate teacher education in England

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of individuals who are facing finance-related worries and/or a perceived requirement or desire to work, whilst training to teach. We sought to explore this issue by gathering qualitative and quantitative data from trainee teachers through an Online Survey. This elicited 438 responses from trainees across England. Our findings showed that many trainees are required to work and/or rely on support from either parents and partners or from their own savings. Financial difficulties resulted in hardship and wellbeing issues across several societal categories (students with disabilities, from lower socio-economic groups, women with childrearing responsibilities and immigrants). We conclude by calling for a socially just perspective in postgraduate teacher training and make recommendations for those working in initial teacher education and policymakers to establish a more equitable teacher training experience.

Perspectives on multiperspectivity: self-efficacy of master’s student teachers in Belgium towards multiperspectivity in the classroom

ABSTRACT This study investigates pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy and attitudes towards multiperspectivity in education. The sample is representative of postgraduate teacher education students in Flanders, the northern and largest region of Belgium, which has evolved into a migratory society with city life characterised by superdiversity. The capital Brussels and two Flemish cities have already evolved into majority-minority cities. A written survey was conducted at four universities in Flanders and Brussels, investigating the degree of familiarity with and views on ethnic diversity. Knowledge about and (readiness for) practical applications of multiperspectivity was also investigated. This study demonstrates that growing up in an urban environment is a good predictor of pre-service teachers’ familiarity with ethnic diversity in education. Moreover, students training a subject from the Humanities score significantly higher on theoretical knowledge of multiperspectivity. Familiarity with ethnic diversity is also a good predictor of the application of a multiperspectivist approach in teaching practice. Since the greater part of Flemish master’s student teachers did not grow up in large cities and are not majoring in humanities subjects, teacher education should pay sufficient attention to multiperspectivity so that all can acquire sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge to thrive in 21st-century classrooms.

Using Virtual Reality to Support Retrieval Practice in Blended Learning: An Interdisciplinary Professional Development Collaboration between Novice and Expert Teachers

This small-scale study comprised an evaluation of a teacher professional learning experience that involved the collaborative creation of resources using immersive virtual reality (VR) as a retrieval practice tool, specifically focusing on the open access aspects of the SchooVR platform. SchooVR offers teachers and students tools to enhance teaching and learning by providing a range of virtual field trips and the ability to create customised virtual tours aligned with curriculum requirements. By leveraging the immersive 360° learning environment, learners can interact with content in meaningful ways, fostering engagement and deepening understanding. This study draws on the experiences of a group of postgraduate teacher education students and co-operating teachers in Ireland and Northern Ireland who collaborated on the creation of a number of immersive learning experiences across a range of subjects during a professional learning event. The research showcases how immersive realities, such as VR, can be integrated effectively into blended learning spaces to create resources that facilitate retrieval practice and self-paced study, thereby supporting the learning process. By embedding VR experiences into the curriculum, students are given opportunities for independent practice, review, and personalised learning tasks, all of which contribute to the consolidation of knowledge and the development of metacognitive skills. The findings suggest that SchooVR and similar immersive technologies have the potential to enhance educational experiences and promote effective learning outcomes across a variety of subject areas.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING OF EASTERN EUROPEAN HUMANITARIAN COLLEGES STUDENTS USING CONTENT AND LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIL) METHOD

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of using the method of content andlanguage integrated learning (CLIL) in the process of foreign language training of humanitarian collegesstudents in several Eastern European countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia). Based on theanalysis of scientific and methodological literature, the authors found out that during the last decade theCLIL method has been rapidly spreading in the European educational space in three main forms: so called«hard», «soft» and «partial immersion». In Eastern Europe, the «hard» form of CLIL is the mostwidespread, because, according to educators, it is better able to implement the idea of integrating learningin a certain discipline and a foreign language. At the same time, practical teachers are aware that only abalanced combination of foreign language and non-philological content can give the best educationaleffect. In pedagogical practice, the CLIL method is often used by teachers of special (non-philological)disciplines who possess high level of foreign language training. However, the latter often subconsciouslypursue only one goal of learning - language, evaluating the overall success of students mostly from theperspective of success in a foreign language. Therefore, it is more logical to train a subject teacher whowill have a high level of competence in the foreign language field than a foreign language philologist whohas additional subject specializations. The authors found out that as of today, in contrast to most EUcountries, there are not many accredited programs in humanitarian colleges in Eastern Europe that arefully focused on the training of CLIL teachers. Humanitarian colleges offer only select courses, which are often elective ones. Although practicing and prospective teachers (who are interested in developing theirprofessional competences in CLIL) have access to courses offered by national and international postgraduate teacher education institutions, but this is clearly not enough. Thus, the authors come to theconclusion that the strategy of adequate systematic training of CLIL teachers does not yet have a cleardefinition in humanitarian colleges of the studied countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia).Under such conditions, the authors recommend starting with an assessment of existing competencies andclarifying the needs of a teacher interested in systematic work using CLIL method. This assessment canbe based on the requirements described in the Recommendations of the European Commission on thetraining of such specialists, the Table of Competencies of the CLIL teachers, reflections of the teachersthemselves, feedback from students, educational institutions administrations, other interested parties.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONTENT OF POST-GRADUATE PEDAGOGICAL EDUCATION IN THE WESTERN REGIONS OF UKRAINE IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH – BEGINNING OF THE 21 ST CENTURY

Pedagogical work is a vocation, but the effectiveness of this professional activity cannot be achieved without continuous education and the teacher's personal orientation towards self-development and self-improvement. Postgraduate teacher education is a part of continuing education, which is characterized bycertain specificity, aimed primarily at meeting the needs of teachers in the necessary knowledge and skills. The National Doctrine of Education Development specifies that higher and postgraduate education should meet the social and individual needs of educational workers in accordance with global trends in continuous education development. Profound changes in the socio-economic conditions of our society, constant updates in the content of the educational process, emergence of new pedagogical ideas, approaches, technologies, methodologies, the increase in scientific and methodological information, and the introduction of new teaching technologies and forms highlight the need for Ukrainian educators in postgraduate education. This is essential for bridging the gap between the modernization of education and the experience of previous generations. This article provides a historical and pedagogical analysis of the development of postgraduate education content in the western regions of Ukraine from the second half of the 20 th to the beginning of the 21 st century.

Tensions of Embedding Reflective Teaching Practices in Teacher Education in Eritrea: A Self-Study on Facilitation Experiences

ABSTRACT This article is a self-study of intentional practices embedded in reflective teaching in a teacher education program in Eritrea. The educator-researcher (author) was concerned with engaging learner-teachers in interactive teaching practices in general and reflective learning practices in particular. By employing self-study methods and tools, the study examines proactive practices and processes in a postgraduate teacher education course. The author implemented facilitation approaches of collaborative reflections, supporting reflective inquiry on learning practices, explicit modelling, and consistent feedback. Framed within the conceptual notion of the tension of practices, the study explores the author’s facilitation experiences during a 16-week or semester-long course. The findings revealed tensions in attending to and improving learner-teachers’ educational needs, synchronizing verbal and written reflective competencies, and language issues in learning to be more thoughtful. The self-study provides practical perspectives on how teacher educators may learn to approach their work while supporting reflective practices in challenging teacher education contexts and beyond.

The Physical Education Teacher's Workbook As a Tool For Improving His Professional Competence

State requirements actualize the need to find some effective tools in the system of improving the qualifications of a modern teacher. This is especially intensified in the conditions of forced remote and mixed education of children and teenagers which is due to the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine. The article presents the workbook "STEP to a new Physical Education lesson", the content of which was tested during some educational trainings in the system of postgraduate teacher education. This latest development is positioned as a tool in the program of improving the professional competencies of a modern Physical Education teacher. It was used both by regional trainers and training participants in face-to-face and distance learning formats from October 2021 to August 2022. The training and, accordingly, the structure of the workbook consisted of the introduction and four main parts which according to their content submit to the mastering the methods of the new lesson of Physical Education at NUS according to the leading directions: 1 - competent, 2 - smart, 3 - healthy, 4 - creative lesson. The training included 21 interactive exercises. Learning according the content of each part of the training ended with online testing. All exercises in the workbook are presented in such a way that they can be performed both in distance and face-to-face learning formats. The effect of the training using the workbook was determined by online testing, which took place directly after the completion of each section of the training program. The second testing took place after several months of work of teachers, who completed the training, with fifth grade students of NUS. The positive dynamics proved the effectiveness of using the workbook during trainings and throughout teachers’ own pedagogical practice.

Professional Development оf Teachers For The Implementation of Quality Scienceand Mathematical Education in the Context of War in Ukraine

The article highlights the possibilities and features of the professional development of teachers of mathematics and natural sciences in the conditions of war in Ukraine. The study is based on the analysis of the results of a survey of more than 200 teachers of the city of Kyiv regarding the provision of high-quality science and mathematics education in the conditions of war. The results of the study outline the directions of professional development of teachers of natural sciences and mathematics: the introduction of integrated education (STEM), psychological support of participants in the educational process, the use of digital and distance learning technologies, topics on life safety, inclusion, teaching methods New Ukrainian school, including the use of formative assessment, implementation of the State Standard of Basic Secondary Education. In the conditions of war, mathematics and natural sciences teachers need programs of professional development in distance, face-to-face and mixed forms of education and individual coaching. Digital technologies can help intensify postgraduate teacher education, and make it mobile, diverse, and adaptable in wartime. Educators believe that quality education can be provided under the conditions of the necessary availability of gadgets, access to the Internet, electronic educational resources, digital and distance technologies, blended learning, monitoring of educational achievements and professional development of teachers and unloading of educational programs. More than 60% of the teachers of Kyiv believe that the quality of science and mathematics education has deteriorated, and 7% point to its improvement. The analysis of interviews and surveys of teachers showed the importance of introducing individual trajectories of teachers' professional development, providing them with psychological and pedagogical support, and consultations in the postgraduate education system. The generalization of the areas of professional development of teachers should be considered in postgraduate pedagogical education for the creation and updating of educational programs for professional development.

Restorative learning for fostering a decolonised curriculum attuned to sustainable teacher education

Social sustainability is paramount for peaceful and inclusive societies. It embraces all cultures and civilizations while promoting that these contribute to, and are crucial enablers of, sustainable development. One aspect hereof is knowledge-what is taught and who decides. South African students remain frustrated with the Eurocentric and Western dominated university curriculum. This was made evident in the iconic 2015 student protest movement that, along with current and preceding protests laid bare the stark inequalities that persist in higher education and students outcries for socially relevant education that acknowledges the global South. In this article, we draw on data that emanated from qualitative interviews conducted with ten North-West University postgraduate teacher education students to unlock their concerns and aspirations for a decolonised curriculum in higher education. Students expressed their concerns with the political nature of the systems of power in higher education that are exclusionary, the need for the curriculum to be contextualized, and the tendency for decolonisation to be perceived as a threat. Students voiced their aspirations for a decolonised curriculum by specifying the importance of decolonisation as a process through teaching approaches like storytelling. We propose restorative learning as one avenue in response to students' outcries for the need to be critical of abyssal thinking and to challenge the root of hegemonic knowledge systems in such a way that decolonising the curriculum can be attuned to sustainability aspirations related to justice and social equity.

Integrating theory and practice in physical education: preservice teachers’ views on practitioner research

ABSTRACT Practitioner enquiry is a well-established approach to professional learning that can facilitate teachers’ pedagogical knowledge and improve their educational practice. That said, practitioner enquiry is less frequently seen in physical education (PE) initial teacher education and in the general practice of PE teachers. This study examines the experiences and perceptions of 17 secondary PE preservice teachers (PTs) who completed a small-scale practitioner enquiry as part of their one-year postgraduate initial teacher education programme. A questionnaire and group interviews – conducted before, during, and at the end of the small-scale enquiry – were used to generate data. The findings revealed that the practitioner enquiry promoted greater collaboration between the PTs and their school-based mentors as they worked together to develop their shared understanding of the teaching and learning process. The practitioner enquiry also facilitated the PTs’ critical engagement with pedagogical research, enhanced their curricular knowledge and nurtured their independent professional identity.

The impact of prior occupations and initial teacher education on post-graduate pre-service teachers' conceptualization and realization of technology integration.

Post-graduate teacher recruitment schemes are designed to fulfil ongoing teaching shortages. However, despite the emphasis of technology integration in educational contexts, little research has examined the knowledge, skills and attitudes post-graduate pre-service teachers bring to teaching from a technology perspective. This paper presents findings from the final phase of an explanatory case study exploring the development of post-graduate pre-service teachers’ technology integration beliefs and practice during a teacher education program at an Australian university. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 post-graduate pre-service teachers after two professional (field) experiences. A social cognitive lens was applied to understand how technology integration beliefs and practice developed during this time. Results showed occupation-specific technology experience provided this group with a diversity of technology expertise, confidence using technology, resilience to overcome technical issues, and self-regulatory traits to learn new technology tools. Contributing personal factors influencing beliefs and practice included age, professional background, technology skills and technology self-efficacy beliefs. Initial practice revealed a predilection to integrate technology to supplement teacher-directed pedagogy. The shift towards technology integration to support student-centred pedagogy was dependent upon modelling and mentoring provisions offered by both teacher-educators and teacher-mentors during professional (field) experience placements. Other extrinsic factors, such as hardware provisions, Information Technology infrastructure, and school culture, were also instrumental in the conceptualization and realization of technology pedagogy. Recommendations include the necessity for post-graduate teacher education programs to recognise the untapped technology expertise this group may bring to teaching, and practical suggestions to support the development of meaningful technology integration epistemologies.

Student teachers’ online sharing of challenging incidents in practice placement

ABSTRACT The present study asks what challenges student teachers meet in today’s school and how they present, respond to, and reflect on these challenges in an online discussion forum. The study explores these questions by analysing cases written by student teachers in their last practice placement in a one-year post-graduate teacher education programme for secondary school in Norway. The findings show that the cases centre around students and classroom management, and that student teachers take on a role as either participant or observer. The responses are a mix of advice, descriptions of similar experiences, and support. They tend to normalise the situations rather than explore them. Learning from challenging incidents does not happen by itself. Timing is crucial, and so is space for reframing, reflection, and for considering alternative perspectives. This means that there is a need for distance to the situation and a process of interaction with various perspectives.

Training teacher‐researchers through online collective academic supervision: Evidence from a postgraduate teacher education programme

AbstractCollective academic supervision (CAS) is a collective model for students' academic supervision to reduce their isolation and as a measure to establish a congenial culture and to develop networks with their peers. Most studies focus on the benefits of online CAS, leaving the pedagogical process and students' learning experiences understudied. This research examines the participation and learning experience of a cohort of Master of Education (MEd) students in online supervision that took place on a Moodle platform. This article reports a case study of Moodle‐based CAS in Hong Kong that aims to train postgraduate students into teacher‐researchers. A class of MEd students and their supervisors were observed, and their online dialogues were analysed. The bio‐ecological student engagement model was used to explain the online supervision process. The results indicated that the students' learning was situated and embodied in the online social processes facilitated by peers' and supervisors' replies. The online interaction behaviours mainly included proposing questions or problems, providing information or solutions, and making comments. The findings have provided an exemplary case regarding the application of the online learning environment in supporting CAS and active research‐based learning. The productive online CAS seems to benefit both teacher candidates and their supervisors by promoting the co‐construction of the knowledge and skills of educational research, although more evidence is needed.

Contribution of Professor S.G. Vershlovsky to Developing the Idea of Mentoring in the Education System

The article makes an attempt to comprehend the modern tendency of mentoring in the education system and the contribution of Professor Semyon Grigorievich Vershlovsky to the theory and practice of its implementation. The paper identifies the problem of "scientific deficits" in the professional activities of teachers and the role of S.G. Vershlovsky as a mentor of a scientific career. The article provides examples of mentoring in the field of scientific career in a number of scientific areas of the professional activities of Professor S.G. Vershlovsky: organization and activities of schools-laboratiries in St. Petersburg; development of andragogical science; postgraduate teacher education in the context of continuing education strategy; socio-pedagogical dimension of modern education.

ELF awareness in ELT: Emerging challenges & new paradigms in teacher education

This contribution aims at presenting the underlying construct and the research design of a study carried out by the Roma Tre University unit of a 3-year national research project (PRIN), as well as the findings about English language (EL) teachers’ attitudes towards English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) as they emerge from the study and from the in-service teacher education course designed and implemented during the project. The study investigated native and non-native teachers’ understandings, beliefs and attitudes towards ELF and the challenges brought about by the notion of ELF awareness in English Language Teaching (ELT). This investigation was carried out through the online administration of two questionnaires, one for Italian non-native teachers of English teaching in the Italian school system, and one for native English language assistants working at university level. The survey findings informed the design of a post-graduate blended EL teacher education course, with a special focus on developing English language teachers’ awareness of the emerging realities of English, while providing an ELF-aware reflective approach to revisit the EL teachers’ syllabus design, lesson planning and implementation. Course participants’ feedback is presented and pedagogical implications for EL teacher education are illustrated and discussed.

РОЗВИТОК ПРОФЕСІЙНО-ПЕДАГОГІЧНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ ВИКЛАДАЧІВ ФАХОВИХ ДИСЦИПЛІН ТЕХНІЧНИХ ЗВО В УМОВАХ ПІСЛЯДИПЛОМНОЇ ПЕДАГОГІЧНОЇ ОСВІТИ

The article presents a theoretical analysis of postgraduate teacher education as a factor in the development of professional-pedagogical competency of lecturers of professional disciplines from technical universities. It justifies the scientific-pedagogical literature and regulatory documents on the issue of postgraduate education. It clarifies the definition of postgraduate teacher education in the works of Ukrainian and foreign researchers (B. James, A. Kuzminskiy, N. Protasova et al.) and offers the author’s interpretation of this concept. It shows that the component of postgraduate education is advanced training, which is seen as the acquisition of new or improvement of previously acquired competencies within a certain professional activity. Also, the article highlights the fact that professional development aims to compensate for gaps in the basic technical or pedagogical training and provide with modern knowledge and technologies. At the same time, it justifies the role of advanced training in the development of professional-pedagogical competency in lecturers of professional disciplines from technical universities. In this regard, it describes a professional programme of advanced training of research and teaching staff. The programme, called “Developing Professional-Pedagogical Competency in Lecturers”, is implemented by the Pedagogy and Innovative Education Department at Lviv Polytechnic National University in the context of advanced training of research and teaching staff from this very institution. The article shows that its implementation is aimed at developing the structural components of professional-pedagogical competency of lecturers from technical universities. The author of the article defines these components as follows: cognitive-intellectual, personal-motivational, functional-technological, social-communicative and reflexive-regulatory. The article concludes that it is essential to improve the professional-pedagogical competency of lecturers of professional disciplines from technical universities under the reforms in higher education and the development of new types and spheres of professional-pedagogical activity. It is important to note that an effective tool for developing this competency is the system of advanced training, designed to ensure the dynamic development of the educational system in Ukraine.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AS A TOOL OF TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONDITIONS OF POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION

The article identifies the problem of finding a modern format of teacher development in the system of postgraduate education. The necessity of using innovative pedagogical technologies of teaching as an aspect of innovative activity of a higher school teacher in the context of development of modern education, in particular postgraduate, is revealed. The range of innovative pedagogical technologies, methods, receptions as effective tools of professional development of the teacher in the conditions of postgraduate education is defined. Aspects of professional interaction that contribute to the creation of a creative scientific and educational environment of the educational process are characterized. Interactive technologies that are determined by the interaction of teachers and teachers (students of advanced training courses) become effective tools of higher education. Aspects of realization of innovation of educational process in establishments of higher and postgraduate education are defined. We outlined practical changes in the professional activity of the teacher, determined by the willingness to improve pedagogical skills, to develop various components of professional competence, i.e. to constantly develop their own professional resources. The practical experience of using innovative pedagogical technologies, methods and techniques and forms of organization of the educational process, contributing to the active continuous professional development of teachers in the system of postgraduate education, are highlighted. The scientific-methodical and didactic support of professional development of teachers in the context of technologicalization of the postgraduate world is presented. The purpose of the study is to reveal the features of the application of innovative pedagogical technologies in the activities of higher education teachers in the context of postgraduate teacher education. Research methods used: theoretical analysis and systematization of scientific sources − allowed to identify the state of the problem of application of innovative technologies in the modern educational process; pedagogical observation and systematization − allowed to get the results of research on the active introduction of innovative pedagogical technologies, methods and techniques in the system of postgraduate education; generalization and structuring − allowed to develop scientific –methodological, and didactic support for the continuous development of teachers in the system of postgraduate education. Conclusions were made on the introduction of innovative technologies in the educational process of higher education institutions, in particular postgraduate education institutions, which contribute to more effective mastery of educational material, its understanding and practical self-realization; creates conditions for continuous development and self-development of teachers throughout life.

EUROPEAN INSPIRATIONS FOR POST-GRADUATE TEACHER EDUCATION FOR INCLUSION IN GREECE

<p>The present paper explores the extent to and the ways in which European mandates for teacher education for inclusion can inspire post-graduate teacher education for inclusion in the context of Greek higher education. With means of a longitudinal self-study on such a course for language teachers the empowering effects of teacher education for inclusion are identified, barriers to it are looked into and suggestions for improvement, as exemplified by the Greek context, are made. The present research aims to contribute to our thinking on inclusive education in that the Profile of Inclusive Teachers, so far related mainly to initial teacher education, is related to post-graduate education and language teacher education, so far minimally explored in self-studies, is explored.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0628/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>